Black and white birds come in many different species, but some of the most common black and white birds are magpies, Eurasian magpies, common magpies, American magpies, black-billed magpies, yellow-billed magpies, Siberian jays, Steller’s jays, blue jays, Canada jays, green jays, Eurasian jays, gray jays, piapiac, bare-faced go-away-bird, boubou shrikes, loggerhead shrikes, woodchat shrikes, white-rumped shrikes, crested shrikes, northern shrikes, red-backed shrikes, Isabelline shrikes, brown shrikes, fiscal shrike, long-tailed fiscal, Temminck’s fiscal, bull-bull, African pygmy kingfisher, malachite kingfisher, white-throated kingfisher, pied kingfisher, striped kingfisher, ringed kingfisher, belted kingfisher, Amazon kingfisher, green kingfisher, American pygmy kingfisher, African dwarf kingfisher, white-bellied kingfisher, collared kingfisher, chattering lory, black lory, Dusky Lory, Violet-necked Lory, Chattering Lory, Blue-streaked Lory, red lory, black-capped lory, red-and-blue lory, goldie’s lory, Musschenbroek’s lory, purple-naped lory, maroon-rumped lory, maroon-chinned lory, blue-eared lory, orchid-streaked lory, flock lory, red-flanked lory, red-and-green lory, red-throated lorikeet, Kurt’s lorikeet, scarlet-breasted lorikeet, coconut lorikeet, Truk lorikeet, blue-crowned lorikeet, red-collared lorikeet, rainbow lorikeet, purple-naped lorikeet, olive-headed lorikeet, citrine lorikeet, yellow-and-green lorikeet, Mindanao lorikeet, sulphur-breasted parakeet, musk lorikeet, little lorikeet, purple-crowned lorikeet, black lory, white cockatoo, umbrella cockatoo, white-crested cockatoo, sulphur-crested cockatoo, citron-crested cockatoo, yellow-crested cockatoo, salmon-crested cockatoo, Moluccan cockatoo, dwarf cockatoo, long-billed cockatoo, short-billed cockatoo, slender-billed cockatoo, Tanimbar corella, goffin’s cockatoo, red-vented cockatoo, Philippine cockatoo, yellow-eared parrot, scarlet macaw, chestnut-fronted macaw, severe macaw, green-winged macaw, red-fronted macaw, blue-headed macaw, blue-and-yellow macaw, blue-throated macaw, red-bellied macaw, Hahn’s macaw, noble macaw, Spix’s macaw, buffon’s macaw, red-shouldered macaw, hyacinth macaw, Lear’s macaw, glaucous macaw, Bolivian blue-throated macaw, blue-crowned parakeet, rock parakeet, Australian king parrot, paradise parrot, princess parrot, regent parrot, superb parrot, night parrot, ground parrot, eastern ground parrot, western ground parrot, orange-bellied parrot, swift parrot, turquoise parrot, elegant parrot, Polytelis, alexandra’s parrot, princess parrot, superb parrot, crimson rosella, eastern rosella, pale-headed rosella, northern rosella, western rosella, green rosella, Australian ringneck.
Quick Answer
The most common black and white birds are magpies, jays, shrikes, kingfishers, lories, cockatoos, macaws, and parrots. Some specific examples of black and white birds include Eurasian magpies, Steller’s jays, loggerhead shrikes, African pygmy kingfishers, black lories, umbrella cockatoos, hyacinth macaws, and crimson rosellas.
Common Black and White Birds
Magpies
Magpies are medium-sized birds in the Corvidae family, which includes crows, ravens, and jays. There are several species of magpies that are black and white, including:
– Eurasian magpie: Common in Europe, Asia and northwest Africa. Black body, white belly, green-blue tail and wing feathers.
– Black-billed magpie: Found across much of western North America. Black head, wings and tail, with white belly and shoulders.
– Yellow-billed magpie: Native to California. Black head, white shoulders, and yellow beak.
– Australian magpie: White below, black above with white patch on back of neck.
Magpies are intelligent birds that live in social groups. They are omnivorous and eat a variety of insects, plant material, small vertebrates and eggs. Known for their loud, complex vocalizations.
Jays
Jays are songbirds in the Corvidae family. Some jay species have striking black and white plumage:
– Eurasian jay: Pinkish-brown body, black tail and wings, white rump and wing patches. Found in Europe and Asia.
– Steller’s jay: Common along the west coast of North America. Dark blue body, black head, wings and tail, with white patches on the forehead, throat and tail edges.
– Blue jay: Widespread in eastern and central North America. Blue upperparts, white face and underparts, blue tail with black bars. A crest is often raised when alarmed.
– Gray jay: Found in boreal and mountain forests of North America. Smoky gray upperparts, lighter gray underside, white face.
Jays are intelligent, social birds that live in family groups. They have strong feet and bills adapted for an omnivorous diet.
Shrikes
Shrikes are predatory songbirds best known for impaling prey on thorns or barbed wire. Several shrike species have black-and-white or gray-and-white plumage:
– Loggerhead shrike: Gray above and white below with black wings and tail. Found throughout central and southern North America.
– Northern shrike: Nicknamed “butcher bird.” Gray with black mask across eyes and wings, and white underparts. Found in northern North America.
– Red-backed shrike: Gray upperparts, rufous back and tail, black mask with white cheeks and underparts. Native to Europe and Asia.
Shrikes perch conspicuously on wires or tree branches as they hunt insects, small mammals, lizards and birds. Their sharp hooked bill easily tears flesh and severs vertebrae.
Kingfishers
Kingfishers are a group of birds specialized for diving and catching fish. Several species have striking black-and-white plumage:
– African pygmy kingfisher: Small kingfisher with white underparts, black mask, and black wings spotted with white. Native to Africa.
– White-throated kingfisher: Large kingfisher with white throat and belly, blue back and wings, and black mask. Found across southern Asia.
– Pied kingfisher: Widespread in Africa. Black and white with a double breast band. Hovers over water when hunting.
– Belted kingfisher: Slate blue upperparts, white underparts with blue-gray breast band. Common near water across North America.
Kingfishers have strong, dagger-like bills for impaling slippery prey. Their feet are small with toes arranged in pairs – an adaptation for perching.
Lories and Lorikeets
Lories and lorikeets are small parrots found in Australia, Indonesia and other parts of Oceania. Several species are black and white:
– Black lory: All black with scarlet undertail feathers. Native to the Moluccas and nearby islands.
– Violet-necked lory: Black head and wings, red back, blue belly, green throat. Found in Indonesia and New Guinea.
– Rainbow lorikeet: Green body, blue head, orange beak, red around eyes, yellow breast. Widespread in Australia.
Lories and lorikeets have specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar and soft fruits. They are social, and gather in noisy flocks at food sources.
Cockatoos
Cockatoos are distinctive parrots with crested heads and sturdy bills. Some cockatoos are adorned in black and white:
– Umbrella cockatoo: White with a broad crest that can lift like an umbrella. Black feathers in the crest, wings and tail. Found in Indonesia and the Philippines.
– Salmon-crested cockatoo: White with a distinctive salmon pink crest. Long tapering crest feathers. Native to Indonesia.
– White cockatoo: All white with a backward-curving crest. Widespread in wooded habitats of Australia.
Cockatoos are long-lived, vocal birds that form permanent pair bonds. Their powerful bills help them crack hard nuts and seeds.
Macaws
Macaws are large, colorful parrots of Central and South America. Several species have bold black and white plumage:
– Hyacinth macaw: Bright cobalt blue upperparts, yellow patches around eyes, black underwings with white coverts. The largest species of macaw.
– Scarlet macaw: Bright red plumage with blue and yellow wings trimmed in black. Long red tail feathers.
– Severe macaw: Mainly white with bright red facial patch, green wings, blue tail. Found in eastern Brazil.
Macaws have particularly strong curved bills. Their loud screeches can be heard from afar. They mate for life and nest in tree cavities.
Parrots
Some parrot species outside of the cockatoo and macaw families also have black and white plumage:
– Crimson rosella: Red head and belly, blue cheeks, black wings, white below. Common in eastern Australia.
– Princess parrot: Bright green with a red head and black and white barred plumage below. Native to interior Australia.
– Paradise parrot: Extinct species that was bright green with black wings and a red rump. Once found in eastern Australia.
Parrots are highly social, intelligent birds renowned for their ability to mimic speech and other sounds. Most parrot species have brightly colored plumage.
Unique Adaptations
The black and white plumage found on some bird species provides them with several unique adaptations:
Camouflage
– High contrast plumage can act as disruptive camouflage, breaking up a bird’s outline as it perches among mottled shadows. This may help magpies, shrikes and other black and white birds avoid detection by predators and prey.
Communication
– Many birds use plumage patterns and exposed facial skin to communicate with other members of their species. Black and white markings provide visual contrast that draws attention to key signals.
Temperature Regulation
– The reverse countershading of white bellies and black backs is thought to aid in thermoregulation. The white belly may reflect sunlight while the black back absorbs radiant heat from the sun.
UV Reflectance
– White feathers are very reflective in the ultraviolet range. Since birds can see UV light, white plumage likely helps with social signaling and mate selection.
Warning Coloration
– Some birds like shrikes and kingfishers may use black and white patterns as aposematic or warning coloration. This hints at their predatory nature and deters potential competitors.
So in many cases, the striking black and white plumage seen in certain bird groups serves an important ecological function beyond just visual appeal.
Famous Black and White Birds
Some individual black and white birds have gained fame or notoriety over the years:
Pepper the Steller’s Jay
– This Steller’s jay befriended artist and environmentalist Jane Goodall during her research at Gombe Stream National Park. Pepper assisted Goodall by bringing her various objects.
Polly the Eurasian Magpie
– This magpie captivated Cambridge researchers in the early 2000s by mimicking human phrases and sounds with great accuracy, showing an unexpected capability for vocal learning.
Snowflake the Albino Gorilla
– Snowflake was an incredibly rare albino lowland gorilla with white plumage. He was captured in Equatorial Guinea in 1966 and brought to the Barcelona Zoo.
Huginn and Muninn
– These two ravens appear in Norse mythology as the eyes and ears of the god Odin. Their names mean “thought” and “memory” respectively.
Sirocco the Kākāpō
– Sirocco is a rare kākāpō, a flightless parrot, who became New Zealand’s “Official Spokesbird for Conservation” due to his charming personality.
So black and white birds have made their mark far beyond just their distinctive plumage, showing intelligence, personality, and rarity.
Conclusion
In summary, some of the most common black and white birds include magpies, jays, shrikes, kingfishers, lories, cockatoos, macaws and parrots. Their high-contrast plumage likely serves functions such as camouflage, communication, temperature regulation and signaling. Famous black and white birds like Pepper the jay, Polly the magpie and Snowflake the gorilla have demonstrated the potential for advanced intelligence and individual personality in some avian species. So next time you see a striking black and white bird, consider its species and the unique adaptations afforded by its dramatic coloration.
Bird Type | Examples | Habitat |
---|---|---|
Magpies | Eurasian magpie, black-billed magpie, yellow-billed magpie | Woodlands, grasslands, urban areas |
Jays | Steller’s jay, blue jay, gray jay | Forests, woodlands, mixed environments |
Shrikes | Northern shrike, loggerhead shrike, red-backed shrike | Grasslands with scattered trees |
Kingfishers | Belted kingfisher, white-throated kingfisher, African pygmy kingfisher | Rivers, lakes, coastlines |
Lories/Lorikeets | Black lory, rainbow lorikeet, violet-necked lory | Tropical forests |
Cockatoos | Umbrella cockatoo, salmon-crested cockatoo, white cockatoo | Tropical and subtropical forests |
Macaws | Scarlet macaw, hyacinth macaw, severe macaw | Tropical forests, woodlands, savannas |
Parrots | Crimson rosella, princess parrot, paradise parrot | Tropical and subtropical forests |